More and Better Democrats

A lot of folks came out of the past legislative session awfully pissed and/or disappointed about the performance of our Democratic majority, but there is at least one special interest group that is celebrating the results:

Our state’s most vehement conservative lobby, which spent $7.2 million trying to defeat Gov. Chris Gregoire, boasts how the majority Democrat Washington Legislature did its bidding in the just-completed session.

“After coming in like a lion, the 2009 Legislature went out like a lamb,” reports the lead article in “Building Insight,” newsletter of the Building Industry Association of Washington.

The BIAW newsletter lists 14 legislative proposals that it opposed, ranging from solar water heaters in new homes to including climate change in the Growth Management Act. The word “Dead” is attached to 12 of them.

One of the slogans of the progressive netroots movement is “More and Better Democrats,” a motto by which we recognize that the straightest path toward implementing a progressive agenda is through a Democratic majority, but that quantity of representation doesn’t always translate into quality, a truism clearly demonstrated by the near super-majority Democratic control of the Washington State Legislature.

So what’s the solution for frustrated progressives? It sure as hell ain’t electing more Republicans, so vindictively undermining the electoral prospects of conservative Democrats in swing districts, as some have suggested, would be more than counterproductive. No, it’s time for us in the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party to start targeting “safe” Democrats who have proven themselves to be either ineffective or out-of-touch, or both. That means working outside the traditional party hierarchy, and yes, that means primary challenges.

Let Frank worry about the swing districts, while we focus on electing better Democrats from the party’s urban base. Either that, or be prepared to see the BIAW celebrating their legislative successes for years to come.

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Or perhaps centrist Democrats and Republicans still lead this state after all. While the righty BIAW is crowing that the lefties didn’t get their way…..maybe…..just maybe Goldy the actual message from the majority of the people is distilled into the basic ideas:

Don’t tax us more, make do with the resources you have and readjust priorities.

Maybe political maneuvering by the blustery edges left and right isn’t the answer after all….and never has been. Maybe the moderate path is the better way to go.

To be sure what was left this year isn’t ideal.

But maybe legislators will go back next year and finish the job of making do, saying No occasionally to constituents when it’s not a priority, and worrying a little less about Horsesass and SoundPolitics ramble on about.

The BIAW and other really anti-progressive institutions LOVE the brand of Democrats running the state and local governments in Washington. Those Democrats raise the money, and spend it on outfits that are headed by Republicans.

Look at Sound Transit: regressive sales taxes collected by Democrats in huge amounts, spent on multinational Republican-headed securities underwriters and other financial institutions, big law firms, huge construction contractors, BNSF, big engineering firms, Japanese train makers and concrete/steel suppliers. Same with Brightwater. Same with WSDOT and its AWV tunneling plans. All highly leveraged with long term debt and very little payoff to people. Seriously – you know now you’ve been had, right Goldy?

The big corporations here don’t pay taxes (MSFT sells its software through a Nevada subsidiary and Boeing gets huge tax breaks). The Democratic party controlled legislature that you fellate is responsible.

On the national level the Dem’s want a sales tax, because rich people and big corporations want economically vulnerable people paying taxes instead. That will fuck people here, because we already have the most regressive tax structure in the nation.

The ten biggest banks just got equity stakes taken in them by the Democratic controlled congress. They’ve been nationalized to no small extent. Same with GM (nationalized), plus $30 billion in subsidies. Obama’s minister of war Casey will prolong by a decade the US occupation of Iraq (big bucks for R-led contractors), and will increase troop levels immediately in Afghanistan – serving the interests of the military industrial complex quite well.

Republicans can’t get enough Democratic-run governments these days. The BIAW is just a small player in the anti-progressive pantheon that is thrilled with how the Democrats run the state and local governments around here.

Here’s a heads up Goldy: quite being such a D. partisan. Catch a clue as to what is going on – it is the rise of intertwined layers of statist governments. It truly is evil. Realize that these people exist on both sides of the aisle and they truly want to cause financial harm to most people as that keeps them weak.

Let me ask you a question: if you knew that the judiciary in this state was fundamentally dishonest when it comes to the rights of people, but the interests of the Democratic Party were served by that dishonesty, would you object or not?

I think the answer is fusion politics. This allows a candidate for office to run for more than one party, on the same ballot.

For instance, in Oregon where they just passed fusion, a candidate “Joe Smith” can run for the state senate as both the Democratic nominee….and as the candidate of a third party, such as Working Families Party, etc. Let’s say that the WFP adopted a pro-single payer platform, and Joe knows he can get an additional 25,000 votes if he negotiates with the WFP that he will adopt that position in return for their nomination. That hands Joe extra votes and gives him additional campaign infrastructure, while giving proponents of single payer a seat at the table.

In this way, popular issues/voices that are ignored can muscle their way into the debate, while again, candidates have a much easier time of bringing in votes and campaign resources.

Wow calls for bold leadership…. calls to do stuff in the future…..hey, you guys follow this stuff why don’t you start NAMING NAMES OF DEMOCRATIC LEGISLATORS WHO ARE THE WEENIES WHO NEED TO BE PRIMARIED?

I mean come on, you’re calling them cowards yet you can’t name ONE of them???????

it’s all top two now. Yoe’d get some socialists in there from Seattle.

And achieve moral clarity.

Let’s start with this program: 1. progressive taxes. No more tax increases for the poor until we have progressive tax system. 2. single payer. And everyone gets into the state legislator’s health care program. Now. 3. gay marriage 4. state AG directed to arrest and prosecute Bush, Cheney and other torturers on sight.

I’d like to see the usual Democratic suspects debate why they would be opposed to these common sense things.

The problem is, Goldy, that you don’t know a good candidate, or a bad one, when you see one, much less a good or a bad incumbent.

Don’t believe that? See Martinez, Juan. That worked out just great, didn’t it?

So pardon me if Frank Chopp and all those eeeeeevil fat-cat Democrats aren’t exactly quaking in their shoes over any threat *you* might pose, or any primary challengers that *you* might back.

The heavy lifting will get done during session, and in the interim, by the “blue-green alliance,” an existing House caucus. Maybe you should check out what they’re doing, and seeing how you might generate support for it, before posturing about primary challenges that have as much chance of succeeding as you have of flapping your arms and flying to the moon.

http://turnerradionetwork.blog.....teers.html Another Abortion Target Volunteers! After the killing of abortionist George Tiller, another “doctor” has publicly announced he wishes to take Tiller’s place to continue partial birth abortions!

Physician LeRoy Carhart of Omaha, NE wants to continue providing third-term abortions after the brazen slaying of his friend and colleague George Tiller.

Gee, this is becoming a “target-rich environment!”

I suspect someone has a bullet for this guy too. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Never mind that partial birth abortion never existed and dilation and extraction abortions have been banned.

the fucking sell outs and chickenshits you guys support as ‘moderates’ and ‘centrists’ are ONLY moderate relative to bush & raygun’s fascism?

know WHY there are ‘conservative’ Dem districts? cuz our ‘leaders’ are completely outta touch with life outside queen anne and capitol hill, AND, these ‘leaders’ sure as hell don’t know how to fight for the vast swath fo peee-ons from south of tacoma to north of everett… and beyond!

while there will ALWAYS be people from the bottom 95% voting fascist –

some cuz they’re dumb enough to think that cheney and bush want em for more than cannon fodder, asswipes, boot lickers and doormats,

some cuz they’re too dumb to think that deeply,

NO ONE in the bottom 95% has any business supporting 95% of the right wing policies foisted on us as centrist or moderate.

Let me ask you a question: if you knew that the judiciary in this state was fundamentally dishonest when it comes to the rights of people, but the interests of the Democratic Party were served by that dishonesty, would you object or not?

Let me guess: responding to that presents a financial, but not a moral, quandry.

Don’t tax us more, make do with the resources you have and readjust priorities.

Matty: you’re forgetting we’re talking about Goldy here- a human parasite. He doesn’t have a job nor a discernible income to speak of, which is why he’s amenable to raising taxes on those that are productive in society as a source of revenue to pay for his/their [personal and party affiliation] sorry , deadbeat ass(es).

@24 Maybe I should run and split the Republican vote. The BIAW candidate will get the real estate agents, but I’d get all the stockbrokers. And since there are only 16 real estate agents left in the entire state, I’d get half the Republican vote.

Right, it’s a centrist, moderate position to deny homebuyers a warranty on new construction. Is that what you’re implying?

It’s a centrist, moderate view that you don’t need government to get that. Warranties exist on new construction for those that shop for it. I got a year on mine as part of the basic house purchase and had several small items repaired during that period. Also, a city or county’s quality inspection program is far more effective to maintaining quality construction.

Uhhhh…”Matty” may not grasp the finer point…the “Home Warranty” was on NEW CCONSTRUCTION…and was fought tooth and nail by the evil BIAW. I’m definately with the rabbit here. Leaky builders (esp with the crackerbox construction of the last few years) NEED to be on the hook when the structure has problems.

THis is NOT the same as a commercially available “Home Warranty Insurance” product.

No, I am talking about new construction. I know for a fact some homebuilders provide it because I had a value home built 5 years ago, was provided a one year warranty as part of the purchase, and that warranty was my deciding factor between them and another builder. I, in fact, used it twice in the year. Once on a defective electrical socket and once on a wall seam that wasn’t mudded right. Only problem since then is a window with condensation, but having that replaced since it’s covered by the manufacturer on an industry provided lifetime warranty.

I’m glad the state didn’t mandate it because, in this case, the market can sort it out just fine.

Pretty simple. Don’t buy from builders that don’t offer a warranty. People don’t need a nanny government in this case.

Millions of new home purchasers each year are forced into binding mandatory arbitration by deceptive “warranties,” and those warranties may violate the law in as many as 17 states, Public Citizen has found.

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 34% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-four percent (34%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of 0. That’s the highest level of strong disapproval and the lowest overall rating yet recorded.

Obama is in freefall. People don’t feel safe and are figuring out we are going to have to pay back all the debt Obama is ringing up. TIM-BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

WASHINGTON – Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., steered millions of dollars in defense work to a campaign donor and the Pentagon went along with it, despite the fact that two convicted drug dealers had been deeply involved with the company.

Records filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh starting in 2005 raise questions about whether the government ever checked into the background of William Kuchera of Windber, Pa., a Murtha constituent who has been doing government work for over 20 years.

The records point to the political peril of Murtha and other members of Congress directing federal funds to particular contractors, an oft-criticized process known as earmarking that has added hundreds of billions of dollars to the defense budget in recent years.

The companies owned by William Kuchera and his brother — Kuchera Defense Systems and Kuchera Industries Inc. — have received $53 million in federal contracts in this decade alone.

According to the court records, Kuchera was convicted of marijuana distribution in 1982 in Wisconsin.

In addition, a man who describes himself as an early partner in Kuchera’s business in the 1980s is a convicted cocaine dealer who has served two terms in prison, according to the records.

The early investor in Kuchera Industries Inc., Peter Whorley, is suing Kuchera for a share of the money Kuchera has collected in federal contracts.

In 2007 and 2008, Murtha sponsored $14.7 million in defense earmarks for Kuchera Defense Systems. Before 2007, Congress did not disclose the identities of earmark sponsors, so it is impossible to say how much in earmarked funds Murtha provided to the Kuchera family business.

Don’t tax us more, make do with the resources you have and readjust priorities.

Most conservatives use this mantra without ever seeming to question its effects. I know nobody will read this, but just as a point of order:

Our state funds pretty much everything with sales taxes. One of the reasons this is supposedly a good idea is that it’s supposed to track inflation. And it kind of does. But local government’s spending needs don’t match the “basket of goods” that the consumer price index (CPI) — the measure used by the government and everyone else to track inflation. Local governments don’t buy tube socks. But they do buy construction supplies, and the price of construction supplies has been going up at four times the rate of inflation for the last five years. And that’s not a problem that can be dealt with just by reprioritizing.

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